This Sunday was Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year. It is a time to discover a new sense of possibility, a new belief in the gifts we have to share, and a new commitment to our dreams. When we think of Rosh Hashanah we focus on the religious traditions and personal interpretation of this holiday. However, I believe there are important leadership lessons tied to Rosh Hashanah we all can benefit from. I’d like to invite you to take a moment to renew, reboot, and recommit to a good new year.

Renewal. The days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are called the Days of Awe. Many people believe that during these ten days, your fate for the next year is decided. That decision is based in part on your repentance during these ten days. This is your chance to right your wrongs, to repay your debts, and to make apologies so that you will be looked upon favorably. Imagine if we applied something similar in our workplaces. What if instead of an annual performance review we had an annual renewal process? Imagine if at your organization you set aside ten days and asked all employees to connect with their key partners to mend relationships. What if as a leader you took this opportunity to share with your team your personal lessons from the last year and to apologize for your mistakes? Think what your results might be if you invited everyone to renew their commitment to their team and to their work.

Reboot. Another Rosh Hashanah tradition is Tashlikh, where people toss bread crumbs into the water to metaphorically cast off behaviors or sins from the past, thus beginning the new year with a clean slate. This practice gives people the chance to reflect, to be introspective, and to let go of the things that are holding them back. What if we implemented reboots between projects at work? Today we hold project post morts to discuss what went well, what did not, and our lessons learned. Imagine asking those questions about our personal actions: What did I do well, what should I cast off, and how can I clean my slate for the next initiative?  Allowing time at work for reflection and introspection gives people the chance to cast off what’s holding them back and to accelerate future results.

Recommit. Tzedaka is part of the new year celebration and is translated as charity. But the deeper definition of this word means what kind of person do you want to be. We all know leaders that model behaviors that we want to emulate- or avoid at all costs. Think about the critical priorities for your business and your team right now. How do they need you to show up? What kinds of skills or behaviors are critical for you to meet your goals? Then think about building a plan around these ideas. What if we moved from IDPs to I will bes?  Make 2-3 simple, measurable “I will be” statements and post them publicly. Ask your team and co-workers to hold you accountable to these standards. Ask for their feedback on how you can move closer to these ideals.  Then at the end of the year ask for feedback on how you did and recommit to what you will do to continue to move forward.

Taking time to reflect on results and behaviors is an important practice. Building routines that give us a chance to pause and work on our relationships and behaviors is essential if we want to have a good year at work or at home. This month take a moment to renew, reboot, and recommit. It can help you set yourself up for a happy- and productive- new year.